Real Recipes From Real Home Cooks ®

perfect steak

(1 rating)
Recipe by
Susan Pagano
Mills River, NC

My husband and I love a great steak. Over the years I have tried many methods to make steaks taste as good as they do when we eat out at Peter Luger's, Ruth's Chris or Del Frisco's. Finally--the perfect way to cook a steak at home. Not quite as amazing as a great steakhouse but absolutely wonderful with cuts available at your supermarket. This recipe is for medium rare. Be sure to use a properly cured cast iron skillet.

(1 rating)
prep time 5 Min
cook time 10 Min
method Stove Top

Ingredients For perfect steak

  • choose steaks 1" thick. one small for each person or a larger steak to feed several. this recipe works either way although i generally use 1 larger steak to feed 2-4
  • olive oil
  • sea salt and black pepper
  • garlic powder
  • butter
  • DE-GLAZED SAUCE (OPTIONAL)
  • 1 c
    good red wine
  • 1 Tbsp
    dijon mustard
  • garlic, basil, oregano----you decide

How To Make perfect steak

  • 1
    Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees. While oven heats lightly coat both sides of steak with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and a light coating of garlic powder to taste on both sides.
  • 2
    Heat cast iron skillet on stove top until very hot (400-500 degrees). Place a single drop of water on pan. It should dance for a second before disappearing. Pan is now ready.
  • 3
    Place steak into skillet. It will smoke a lot and pop and sizzle. Wait 2 minutes before moving the steak. Turn over and place on the exact spot it had been on. Cook 2 minutes more. Take off heat.
  • 4
    Put pats of butter on top of each steak and place skillet in oven. Check temperature after 2-3 minutes. Take out when temperature is 135 degrees.
  • 5
    Put steak onto a plate and cover with foil. Rest for 5 minutes.
  • 6
    While steak is resting you may wish to deglaze the pan. Add shallots. 1 cup red wine (not cooking wine!), dijon mustard, a bit of garlic, fresh basil or oregano. Reduce and pour over steaks.
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